Former teen idol Leif Garrett’s life took a horrible downward spiral

To me, it feels like teenage heartthrob Leif Garrett does not get enough credit as an artist and performer. He deserved so much more!

Throughout his career, the former teen idol experienced extreme highs and lows, but the highs he sought through drug addiction, which he used as a crutch, resulted in him sinking his career…

Before you see him today, at 62, it might be good to hold your breath…

What a babe he was….. Leif Garrett started as a child actor, and in the 1970s, he set the hearts of young women to fluttering when he became a musician.

My mom told me that when she went to the grocery store with her parents, she could see Leif’s face on all of the teen magazine covers at the checkout lanes.

Leif Garrett Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

The American singer-actor, born in Hollywood, California, was 5 years old when he first appeared in the movie Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice in 1969, which became the sixth highest-grossing film of the year.

Following that role, the sleepy-eyed, flaxen-haired heartthrob featured in the film Walking Tall, along with its two sequels. In 1983 he joined a number of fellow teen heartthrobs, including Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze and Tom Cruise, in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders.

Some might also recognize him from his performances in TV series, like FamilyThe Odd Couple (1974), Wonder Woman (1978) and CHiPs (1979).

In 1977, he released his first album Leif Garret, and fans went wild when he performed covers of popular songs like The Wanderer (Dion), Surfin’ USA (The Beach Boys) and Paul Anka’s Put Your Head on My Shoulder.

Flickr / A.Currell

Garrett was on top of the world. The blond, shaggy-haired singer toured worldwide, and his fans (mostly young girls) went crazy as soon as they saw him. 

”I was on a public appearance tour in Sydney, Australia, and they had to fly me in by helicopter and then I jumped into an armored car and drove into the theater by back door. I’ve tried using a lim there before, but the fans almost tipped it over. I guess it’s an adrenalin push for them. They just freak out. It’s very weird,” Garrett told New York Daily News in 1979.

But even though his music was close to topping the charts, he struggled with management that made him feel like a “fraud.” The crossover to adulthood was also a challenge for Garrett.

“I think I was a good performer from the get-go but I wish they had offered me singing lessons before ever making a record and doing the typical punching in a sentence here or there or words or whatever,” Garret said in an interview.

“There’s a particular track (I Was Looking for Someone to Love) that doesn’t even sound like me at all. I would even possibly say I wasn’t even on that track. And to me, that IS fraud. That’s like a Milli Vanilli situation, the difference being, of course, mine was blended many times with myself and somebody else.”

Leif Garrett Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Garrett’s career started to go downhill in 1979 when, drunk and drugged, he crashed a car and sent it tumbling down a hillside in North Hollywood, leaving his then-close friend Ronald Winkler a paraplegic.

But that wasn’t enough for Garret, whose life continued its negative spiral.

In 1980, a time he describes in his book as “the apex of pinup fame,” Garret revelled in sex, drugs and rock and roll with the legendary frontman of Queen, Freddie Mercury, who was at the time recording the hugely successful album The Game, which featured the hits “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and “Another One Bites the Dust.” Garrett said he became friends with the band, who showed him a real rock star life with girls and drugs.

In an interview with Fox for the release of his memoir, Idol Truth, Garrett said:“I don’t think I was a very mature 16-year-old. I became mature very quickly because I was always surrounded by adults who were drinking and doing coke. I was a child, but being treated as an adult… And all of this was coming out of my pocket.”

He continued: “You know, I probably have the greatest fan base that I could ever imagine for myself. They have stuck with me through thick and thin. And as you know, I’ve gotten myself in plenty of bad situations. There was a lot of bad decision-making. But at the same time, I didn’t have the parental guidance that I should have at that time.”

Flickr / Leo Reynolds

Garret’s tally of charges is extensive. He dropped out of rehab and had numerous run-ins with the police, including whilst trying to buy drugs from undercover cops and trying to hide heroin in his shoe.

Despite making very effort at clawing his way back to the top, Garrett ultimately returned to his old habits. Because of his laughable experiences with the law, Garrett was selected to provide commentary on the comedy show World’s Dumbest, which chronicles the “most amazingly stupid” criminals.

The show also used other celebrities known for personal misadventures, like Todd Bridges, Tonya Harding, Gary Busey and Danny Bonaduce.

Then Garrett landed a starring role on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, a show he did not want to appear on. Garrett accused the show of having him relapse for drama, a claim emphatically denied by VH1.

Wikipedia Commons / Toglenn

In an interview the LA Times, Garrett said: “They asked to get some footage of me using, and I said, ‘I haven’t been using. They said, ‘We really have to get footage of you using.’ Anyway, I was easily talked into showing them.”

When a counselor with the production called him out, suggesting he was still using, Garrett walked off the show saying: “This is insanity and quite honestly I don’t appreciate it.”

Fortunately, Leif Garrett is sober today.

”I had a 90-day sentence in county jail. I was in court-ordered rehab before that, and then my mom visited and told me she had stage IV lung cancer. I said, ‘I’m leaving to take care of her—nobody lives with her.’ So dealing with that, I started using again. So it was like, ‘Cuff him, bring him in,’ and I did the 90 days, and that was it,” he says.

According to the former teen idol, he’s still very grateful for all his fans.

”I’ve kept every photo or letter that a young lady sent, telling me about being on their walls and kissing me good night before they went to bed,” Garrett told Closer. “It’s very surreal and a bit embarrassing, but how flattering! I can’t thank [my fans] enough, because I’m still able to do something I enjoy and get paid for it.”

Leif Garrett arrives at the opening night of ‘Rain- A Tribute To The Beatles’ at the Pantages Theatre on April 12, 2011 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Angela Weiss/Getty Images for Pantages Theatre)

We’re rallying behind Leif’s recovery and hope he can enjoy his life now!

We’d love you to share your thoughts on the former teen idol and his attempts at getting sober.

Find Straw, Egg, Knife, Sock.

Are you ready for a fun challenge that will test your attention to detail and problem-solving skills? In this puzzle, you need to find four hidden objectsa straw, an egg, a knife, and a sock.

At first glance, the image looks like a regular scene from a hair salon, but hidden within the details are the four objects you need to find. Do you think you have the sharp eyes needed to solve it? Let’s dive in!

Why Are Puzzles Like This So Popular?

Hidden object puzzles are not just fun—they help improve concentration, memory, and cognitive skills. They challenge your visual perception and attention to detail, making them an excellent way to keep your brain active.

Many people struggle with these types of puzzles because our brains tend to process overall images rather than focus on small hidden details. This is why finding these objects may not be as easy as it seems!

Common Mistakes People Make When Solving This Puzzle

Before jumping into the solution, let’s discuss some of the common mistakes people make when trying to find the hidden objects.

Video : Hidden Object Game – OPTICAL ILLUSION PUZZLE 

  1. Focusing Only on the Obvious Areas
    • Many people instinctively look at the center of the image, ignoring the background and smaller details. The objects are often blended into unexpected places.
  2. Ignoring Color Camouflage
    • The objects in hidden puzzles are often colored to match their surroundings, making them harder to spot. If you only look for a knife that is silver or a straw that is yellow, you might miss them entirely!
  3. Overlooking Unusual Shapes
    • Sometimes, objects are altered in shape or blended into clothing, furniture, or accessories. If you expect them to look exactly how they normally do, you might not recognize them.

Now that we’ve covered the common mistakes, let’s solve the puzzle step by step!

Step-by-Step Guide to Finding the Hidden Objects

1️⃣ Straw – Hidden in the hair of the person getting their hair done. The hairstylist appears to be working on the hair, but if you look closely, a straw is camouflaged within the strands.

2️⃣ Egg – Placed on the dressing table near the mirror. It blends into the objects on the table, making it easy to overlook. Look for a small white oval shape near the beauty products.

3️⃣ Knife – Disguised as part of the striped sweater worn by the woman standing. The knife’s color and shape blend into the sweater pattern, making it one of the hardest to spot.

4️⃣ Sock – Positioned on the woman’s leg, just above her boot. Instead of being inside the shoe, the sock is visibly sticking out, making it look like part of her outfit.

🔍 Check the circled areas in the image for confirmation! All objects are cleverly blended, so it requires careful observation to spot them.

Why These Puzzles Are Great for Brain Training

If you struggled to find all four objects, don’t worry! Hidden object puzzles help improve visual perception and focus, which are essential skills in daily life. Here’s why they’re great for your brain:

✔ Boosts attention to detail – By scanning carefully, you train your brain to notice small differences.
✔ Enhances problem-solving skills – You learn to think outside the box and look at things differently.
✔ Improves memory – Searching for hidden objects requires remembering patterns and object placements.
✔ Relieves stress – Solving puzzles can be a fun and relaxing way to unwind.

Video : Find It – Hidden Object Games

Challenge Your Friends and Share Your Answers!

Now that you know the solutions, how quickly can your friends find the hidden objects? Share this puzzle with them and see who can solve it the fastest!

Did you manage to find all four items on your own? Leave a comment and let us know how long it took you to solve the puzzle. Also, if you love challenges like this, let us know so we can share more fun puzzles to test your skills!

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